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'Hunger' hormone helps constipation

A pill that helps the body produce more of the 'appetite hormone' may be a new way to tackle constipation.

The hormone ghrelin is secreted when the stomach is empty, and triggers the brain to tell us we are hungry. It also speeds up the movement of food through the gut to make way for new food. When the stomach is full, production of the hormone stops or slows.

It's the speeding-up action that has been harnessed by researchers at the Mayo Clinic in the U.S. in a trial involving 50 patients who have had constipation for 12 or more weeks.

A previous study at the clinic, involving people with diabetes - who can be prone to constipation - found that the new pill sped up the movement of food through the bowel by an average of 33 minutes compared with a placebo.

Ultrasound uses high-frequency soundwaves that are converted into heat in the deep tissues

Can soundwaves soothe sore wrists?

Ultrasound is being tested as a treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome - the tingling, pain and weakness in the hands and fingers caused by pressure on the wrist's main nerve.

The condition is common among those who do a lot of repetitive hand work, which can irritate and inflame the nerve, as well as pregnant women and the obese, possibly because of fluid retention. Current treatments include steroid injections, but there is a high recurrence rate.

Patients are now being recruited for a trial at East Kent Hospital, comparing real and sham ultrasound over two months. Previous research showed promising results.

Ultrasound uses high-frequency soundwaves that are converted into heat in the deep tissues, improving blood flow and increasing oxygen supply to inflamed tissue.